Link belt.



M. G. BUNNELL.

LINK BELT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,19I0-- 1 1 9 1 ,395.- Patented July 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- W/TA/E55E5 j/VI/E/VTOR: Maw

M G B U N N E L L.

L I N K B E L T.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1910 1,191,395. I

HTTO/F/VEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORTON G. BUNNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T FREDERICK C. AUSTIN,OF

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

LINK BELT.

Application filed July 8,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MORTON G. BUNNELL,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Link Belts, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to chains or link belts for use in excavating orconveying or other similar machinery.

My invention contemplates a link belt in which there is no wear on thelinks, the wear being on sleeves which connect the links, whereby thepins or bolts that hold the two sides of the chain or belt together arenot subject to wear, and s'erve merely to hold the link belt together.

With a link belt constructed in accordance with my invention, there isconsiderably less wear, less friction, and less danger of breakage thanheretofore, especially where the link belt is used in an excavatingmachine, or in a conveying apparatus of some kind, which always involveshard usage, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Another object of my invention is to provide a chain or link belt inwhich the wear is confined to certain parts thereof, which parts can bereadily replaced when worn, whereby the chain or link belt when worn orimpaired by usage does not need to be thrown away or discarded, but maybe readily repaired, thus providing practically a new chain or belt.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, my invention consists in mattershereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a plan of a section of linkbelt constructed in accordance with my invention showing a portionthereof in section, the sec ion being taken on line 1-2 in Fig. 2; Fig.2 is a side elevation of the link-belt construction shown in Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the links shown in the precedingfigures; 45 Fig. 4 is a perspective of the smallest sleeve involved inthe pivotal or hinge connection bet-ween the links; Fig. 5 is aperspective of the next larger sleeve lnvolved in the said construction;and Fig. 6 is a perspective of 0 the largest sleeve involved in the saidconstruction. A

' As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a pair of outer links Aand A, which are suitably spaced apart and connected at 5 their ends bysleeves B, which sleeves are Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1916.

1910. Serial No. 570,946.

provided with flattened portions 6 at their ends, whereby they fit theholes in the ends of the links, and are keyed against rotation, as shownmore clearly in Figs. 3 and 4:. The inner links C, C are disposedimmediately inside of the links A and A, and have their end portionsconnected by sleeves D, which sleeves have flattened portions 03 thatfit the holes in the links C and C, as indicated in Fig. 5. Thus, theoutside links are connected together by transverse sleeves that arepractically. rigid therewith, and. the inner links are connected in asimilar manner. The pins E extend through the openings or bores of thesleeves B, and have heads 6, and washers e that overlap the ends of thesleeves B so as to engage the outer surfaces of the links A and A,thereby preventing the links at opposite sides of the chain fromspreading apart. The sleeve F is disposed upon the sleeve D so as torotate thereon, and has a flattened end portion f which engages asimilarly shaped hole in the hub of the wheel G, which latter is slippedover the sleeve F and adapted to rotate therewith. Thus there isabsolutely no wear upon the pins E, the opposing surfaces of the sleevesB and D being subject to the greatest wear, and the outer surface of thesleeve D taking up the wear between the chain and the wheels thereof. Itwill be seen that the sleeve B does not need to fit accurately withinthe bore or opening of the sleeve D, but may fit loosely therein, sothat when the chain is carrying a load the contact between the twosleeves will be limited to one side thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.In this way there is no necessity for great accuracy in the fittingtogether of these parts, as one concentric part can be somewhat largerthan the other and still insure a proper and eflicient mode of operationfor the chain.

A chain or link belt of this kind is, I find, extremely strong andreliable in use, and can be used in many places where it will give moresatisfaction than those heretofore employed for purposes of this kind.There is absolutely no'wear on the links A and A, or upon the links Cand C, as in each case these links are secured to sleeves, which sleevesdo not turn in the links, notwith- -standing that they are easilyremovable therefrom. The chain or link belt can be easily taken apartand assembled, and broken or worn parts can be either repaired orremoved and new parts substituted therefor. A chain of this kind isespecially adapted for use in excavators, where it. is liable to becomeclogged with mud, and in such case the dirt and water appear to have nodetrimental effect thereon. The pins or bolts serve merely to hold thetwo sides of the link belt together, and do not sustain the pull ordraft, and are not subject to any wear. These pins may be held in placeby cotter pins or other devices inserted through the holes 6 in the endsthereof, so as to hold the washers or flanges e in place in a mannerthat will be readily understood. Consequently the chain is, as stated,of such a construction that it may be very easily and quickly assembled,and as readily taken apart.

One of the great advantages of my invention resides in the fact thatwhen the chain isworn or impaired by usage, it does not need to bediscarded or thrown away.

Ordinarily a chain or link belt, when Worn or injured by usage, must bethrown away and a new chain provided, and this is especially so when thewear is more or less evenly distributed over all of thelinks of thechain. With my improved construction, however, the wear is confined to aplurality of sleeves which can be readily removed When they become wornor impaired by long or continued use, and new parts substitutedtherefor, thus providing practically a new chain. To thus render thechain practically new and ready for efficient service again, by thereplacing of as small portions thereof as possible is one of theprincipal objects and advantages of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is l. A link' belt comprising inner andouter overlapping links, tubes having their opposite ends removablyinserted in the outer links, said ends being formed to prevent rotationof the tubes relative to said outer links, and to space said outer linksapart, sleeves mounted to rotate on said tubes, the opposite ends ofsaid sleeves being removably and non-rotatably inserted in said innerlinks, and a member extending loosely through each tube and projectingfrom the ends thereof, the opposite ends of said members being rovidedwith retaining means for preventing displacement of the outer links fromthe ends of said tubes, cylindric elements loosely mounted on saidsleeves, and rollers on said elements, rotating therewith upon saidsleeves.

2. A link belt comprising inner and outer over-lapping links, tubeshaving their opposite ends removably inserted in the outer links, saidends being formed to.prevent rotation of the tubes relati've to saidouter links and to space said outer links apart, sleeves mounted torotate on said tubes, the opposite ends of said sleeves being removablyand non-rotatably inserted in said inner links, and a member extendingloosely through each tube and projecting from the ends thereof, theopposite ends of said members being provided with retaining means forpreventing displacement of the outer links from the ends of said tubes,cylindric elements loosely mounted on said sleeves, and rollers on saidelements, rotating therewith upon said sleeves, said tubes and sleevesbeing flattened at opposite sides of both ends thereof, and said linkshaving round open- 1ngs flattened at opposite sides of each openlng.

3. A link belt comprising inner and outer over-lapplng links, tubeshaving their opposite ends removably inserted 1n the outer links, saidends being formed to prevent rotation of the tubes relative to saidouter links and to space said outer links apart, sleeves mounted torotate on said tubes, the opposite ends of said sleeves being removablyand non-rotatably inserted in said inner links, and'a member extendingloosely through each tube and projecting from the ends thereof, theopposite ends of said membersbeing provided with retaining means forpreventing displacement of the outer links from the ends of said tubes,cylindric elements loosely mounted on said sleeves, and rollers on saidelements, rotating therewith upon said sleeves, said elements beingflattened at opposite sides of one end only thereof, and said rollershaving round bores restricted at one end only.

Signed by me at Chicago, Illinois, this 30th day of June, 1910.

' MORTON Gr. BUNNELL. Witnesses: WM. B. DEERNION, J. NoReY'.

